Committee envisions a pedestrian-friendly Worcester Theatre District

WORCESTER — The City Council's Economic Development Committee voted Tuesday night to send the Theatre District Master Plan to the full council with a recommendation to approve.

The plan, a cooperative effort between the city and the Worcester Business Development Corp., calls for transforming the area from Federal Street to Salem Square into a pedestrian-friendly destination.

Part of that plan is already underway with the work being done on the former Telegram & Gazette buildings on Franklin and Federal streets. The WBDC bought the buildings and is renovating them for lease to Quinsigamond Community College. Space is also being carved out of the buildings for storefronts and a "black box theater" that will face Allen Court.

Craig Blais, president of the corporation, said he envisions the T&G building reopening next year, and being ready in time for the fall semester at the college.

Other highlights of the master plan include turning Federal Street into a pedestrian-only strip similar to Cleveland's East Fourth Street. The plan calls for improvements to sidewalks and lighting, and increased connections in the area, said Timothy McGourthy, the city's chief development officer.

One of those proposed increased connections in the plan is to build a pedestrian walkway that would extend through the former Bancroft Nissan garage on Portland Street to Salem Street.

That walkway will be necessary for many Worcester Public Library patrons if the master plan is realized, because the plan calls for the redevelopment of the McGrath municipal parking lot next to the library.

The master plan calls for a cooperative parking agreement for library parking and the YWCA's parking lot next door. Mr. McGourthy said any planned redevelopment of the parking lot could include underground parking structures, and Mr. Blais said angled parking along nearby streets could give patrons parking spaces closer to the library.

Still, District 3 City Councilor George Russell wondered if taking away the McGrath lot would be discouraging potential patrons who might want to just quickly run into the library for something.

And Judy Finkel, a member of the library's board of directors, said she didn't think it was antithetical to a vibrant district to ensure that library patrons have access to safe, affordable parking. Transferring parking in the area to privately owned lots could price out some patrons.

However, Ms. Finkel said she liked the idea of opening the library up to the rest of downtown. She said the library is a popular destination downtown, and circulation continues to rise.

There was little discussion about possible uses for whatever is constructed on the McGrath lot; the idea of ice hockey rinks has been floated in past discussions of the plan. Officials Tuesday night stressed that the master plan is just a vision, and Mr. Blais said the City Council ultimately has final say on what happens to the McGrath lot.

At-large City Councilor Rick Rushton said the library is isolated right now. He said it's time to start looking long term at what is best for the entire downtown.

"The idea that you can park at the front door, we have to slowly work away from that," Mr. Rushton said.